Twist of Fate
by Nyao.Nyaro
Summary: Author's Note: Please read and review! :D - Cursed by the dying breath of a Servant two decades ago, the Grail decides to hear his heart's desire one more time out of amusement. As strange events begin to occur within Fuyuki again, will this unorthodox event be enough to prevent another War from happening, or will it just serve to complicate things? -


_I can only imagine what it feels like—the sensation of someone's loyalty._

_ As a Knight, there was nothing more that I wished for and nothing more that I yearned other than trust. And yet, how cruel the world truly is…to bless me with a gift no greater than a curse. A charm that causes the lasses and dames to sin even when betrothed to another…O' mark adored by all of them fair faeries, you bring no comfort to my soul. For every lover's wish you do grant me, my quest to find loyalty…you deny me. As a Knight who wishes to serve, I cannot find a king who would trust a man such as me. Those who has lovely queens and princesses by their side dreads my being who, in their eyes, is nothing more than but a worthless man no better than a thief. O' how I wish that one day I could find, a Lord who accepts me for who I am really am. With or without this accursed mark beneath my eyes…with or without the skills I posses, if the world could grant me another life, be it born a babe of another time…or a creature of the wild...my heart's only satisfaction would be the trust of just one._

_In my death bed I could only hope for another chance…_

_In another life, grant me some hope. Because here I am again, betrayed by greedy fools who knew not of pride nor chivalry nor respect…_

_Is there no one soul that can understand my plight? The plight of a knight who only wishes to find—_

And amidst his almost breathless thoughts, he stops. There was something welling within his chest, something that he couldn't quite comprehend. It was a feeling that he knew existed every time he was made to look like a fool. It was a notion similar to when his former master ordered him to end his life using his own spear…that feeling of hate and resentment…and disappointment and suffering. The emotions that swam in his hardly beating heart made his eyes well up with tears that threatened to spill forth as he clenched his teeth tightly. If he could still shake from anger he probably would, but in this semi lifeless state…all he could do was hope. And hope. And continue to hope.

Despite all that he had suffered, there was still a part of his soul that clung onto his wish…something that seemed like a distant dream. Looking at the sky with half dilated eyes, he continued to wonder what he was actually searching for. Was it the love of someone whom he could share his aspirations with, or was it the trust of someone…anyone…that had been deprived of him for such a long time. Lost in this world of confusion and grief, he could only hope for the Grail to once again manifest.

_Will you not call for me again? Even your trust, have I lost it?_

_All this time…what have I been living for…?_

**Location: Fuyuki City / Date: October 12, 20XX, Thursday / Time: 16:58**

_Why do people even bother with such pointless things?_

In a boring place such as this, the view from outside the window was her only solace. The clouds that covered the vast blue sky served very little ease as they hovered by. The harmonious song of birds during the afternoon, paired with the ever present cicadas made for an interesting afternoon orchestra. The streets, from what she could see, weren't as crowded with people. Well, it wasn't that busy yet. With office and school still an ongoing activity; it was only the bustle and hustle of traffic that made the winding roads lively. But it was, as plain as day, an ordinary occurrence in everyone's daily lives. Sometimes, even the oddities of Fuyuki City were becoming ordinary. The morning and evening news were always filled with some tragic event. At one point, journalist all over the city would report about the growing case of missing children. Some of them have not yet been resolved and their disappearance was more or less a mystery to everyone. Sure, the number of sick psychopaths targeting children were a little high, but 40 in less than a month was supposed to be beyond normal, right? Or what about those strange cases of people that tried to kill themselves by jumping off a tall structure. Sometimes, they jumped off buildings, other times, people tried to end their lives by throwing themselves off of Fuyuki bridge. Each and every one of these people was known to have been murmuring something strange but no one really knew what was going on. Sometimes though, the odious phenomenon was closer to home. There was a time when the student and faculty at Homurahara Gakuen had fallen ill and unconscious all at the same time. There were reports that a few hadn't been affected by whatever it was, but the young girl wasn't sure about the details. She had been down with a sickness of her own at that time and returned a few days after the incident. It was still a mystery that no one solved, but everyone was beginning to think that all these crazy conundrum was caused by demons and spirits—the occult.

_I can't believe people still take that kind of nonsense seriously._

On most occasions, girls of her age would be so thrilled about the notion of magic existing. Some of the boys probably felt that way about sorcery. But to her, these were just childish things that people needed to let go in order to grow up. Idealism and romanticism wasn't practical in the world today, and so, things such as magic held no real value to her. That's why everything that was happening here in Fuyuki City were nothing more than mere accidents and timely coincidences; not something influenced by a higher power or being. After all, it was wrong to believe in such things.

"Now everyone, be sure to head straight on home. As you know, there have been new reports of people going missing with some being found dead near Fuyuki Bridge. The police doesn't have any leads as of yet so be sure to be extra careful. If possible, go in groups."

The teacher reminded them which of course got the attention of most. Mumblings and whisperings had begun to circulate within the room and only for one did it seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Small chitchats amongst groups of friends had started after the teacher had made his way out. Most had decided to go home together just as their professor had suggested while some decided to meet up with others from different classes instead. It was only this one girl who, as the minutes passed, continued to stay. From behind those thick framed glasses, the youth observed how her classmates sauntered out of the building like little ants till it was only her that remained. She wasn't the type to have a lot of people around her, in fact, most of the time she avoided them for personal reasons. In somewhere in her heart, she couldn't help but see them as something not unlike a plague no matter how hard she tried to think otherwise. Surely, if she had someone whom she could trust it would have been a different story; but since that wasn't the case, the girl believed that being alone was probably for the best.

"Well. I guess it's time to go." And with that, she'd adjust the glasses over the bridge of her nose before coming to a stand. Grabbing the sling of the bag was a rather easy task since most of her books were piled neatly under the drawer of her desk. Since there weren't any homework today, it was best to just relax at home. The peace and quiet that she had back in her own little world was much more gratifying than the tiring jive she had to go along with everyday.

With one last look outside the window, she headed for the halls…finally going about her own way.

"Despite what I say in class, you always seem to leave the latest." Echoing the silent hallway was a man's voice; a little deeper than most, but a familiar one to her ears. The student almost furrowed her brow at being caught. With the sun having finally set and the night's veil beginning to loom over the skies, she was sure that he'd be on her case again. "Right, Yuri-san?"

"Emiya-sensei…"

There, with a clipboard in his hand and dressed like some kind of mechanic was their homeroom adviser, Emiya Shirou who, at night, played as Mr. Fix-it-all as part of his hobby. He was the type who got himself concerned over everyone's business due to his over protectiveness and what not. Yuri only thought of it as intrusive. With his back pressed against the corridor walls, she saw him push away from it and began walking over to her. _Tsk. _She thought, not really feeling very super about this whole meeting.

"So, how come you're still here this late at night?" He asked.

"I was watching people leave." Came the almost immediate reply. There was this strange questioning look on Emiya's face, one that seemed to ask the question why. And to that she merely explained that it was a hobby of some sort.

"I see. But…till it gets dark?" He asked, somehow unsatisfied. His company for the night simply shrugged, making him sigh slightly in the process. "But in any case, you shouldn't stay behind to the point it gets too dark. It's not—"

"It's not safe. I know, I know. Please don't worry so much, Sensei. I'll be fine." She interrupted while waving a hand repeatedly to dismiss his 'motherly' thought. If scowling at students wasn't a bad habit, he'd probably be doing so right now due to this girl's attitude. "Anyway," the man muttered after clearing his throat. There was this look in his eyes that Yuri couldn't comprehend, but for some reason she knew what he was going to say. "I can go home on my own, Sensei. You just go back and play mechanic or even janitor if you want. I can handle myself just fine." And when she noticed him move in disagreement, she turned heel and sped off, leaving the adult behind with his arm outstretched as if willing her to come back.

"That girl, she just doesn't listen."

"That—that was a close call…" She had to stop running for a while in order to catch her breath. Yuri's chest heaved up and down due to the pace at which she had gone. The youth wasn't the most athletic person amongst her peers so such a strenuous activity does take quite the toll. "Eh…?" Then again, maybe running that fast and without thinking about the turns she made wasn't such a good idea after all. Although not exactly lost, the street in which she found herself in wasn't a very familiar one. A cold bead of sweat descended her forehead when she finally realized how scary Fuyuki was at night. _Just because I don't believe in ghosts…doesn't mean I'm not scared of what can possibly jump out of a dark alley._ After all…one should be more afraid of the living rather than the dead.

From the corner of her eye something bright did catch her attention. The pretty cyan colored light sign buzzed slightly as it flickered from one second to another. The writing wasn't in Japanese nor was it in English or any language that she could decipher, but it seemed like it belonged to an old civilization that was now being used as some kind of artsy fad.

**_Schriftgelehrten der Arkanen..._**

Her eyes widened slightly when she realized that she could read the sign. It was the first time for her to see such writings and yet, in that moment when she took a second look, she could read the words. The language was foreign, but she could understand what it meant despite not being well versed on languages other than her own. Strange as it was, there was a feeling that drew her to the establishment and before she could catch what she was doing, Yuri found herself inside the building. The place was dimly lit by wall lamps that resembled old fashioned candelabras. The spiraling flower pattern that met at the center was rather beautiful and showed how much care the craftsman took in order to accomplish such a feat. The bulb was tinted orange which gave a flame like glow. It was a little gloomy inside but tolerable. There were also countless shelves filled with ancient looking books and scriptures that seemed to have been kept in tip top conditions. There was not a speck of dust that neither lined the wooden book shelves nor was there any dust bunnies hopping around to make the air hard to breathe in. Each book was labelled in the same lettering from the outside and each one she recognized. There were books on lore and legends, some on magic and sorcery, others on herbs and gems while most were on rituals. The disappointment on her face was evident as she allowed her eyes to scan each and every title that she could see. Everything was a conflict to her interest making her regret even taking a look at the sign board. Still, the sensation of not wanting to leave stayed within her person and so she stayed and looked around some more. Aside from books there were also glass cases of trinkets that appeared to be of olden age as well. They didn't look like anything that could have been found in Fuyuki at all. There were short swords and daggers, there were different kind of charms, but it was probably the jewelry amongst the treasure that she found interesting.

Different kinds of gems, all expensive, lined one of the cases that she saw. There were a variety of sparkling rocks starting from rubies to sapphires to jades to amethysts and were all crafted in different shapes and sizes. Some were molded in the shape of bangles and bracelets and some embedded onto gold in order to produce rings and other accessories. All were equally beautiful and all were equally captivating. Something about them were keeping Yuri glued inside that store. That, at least, was what she felt.

"Are you looking for something in particular, young lady?"

Startled, Yuri whirled around to see who the voice belonged to and she was a little surprised to see a man who seemed like he was in his early forties standing tall. Cliché as it may sound the freshman thought that people who owned places like these were usually old and creepy. This guy was old and creepy...but at the same time, threatening. What was it with him that bothered her so?

"T-there's nothing in particular…" It was almost a sheepish retort before she glanced sideways. As she peered back at the man's face, Yuri saw an amused look cast upon her. She couldn't understand why, but there was really something about him that didn't sit well with her. "M-maybe I should go…"

"But you just got here, didn't you? Stay a little while longer. You might find something of interest, young Magus."

"Magus…no, I think you must be—"

"There can't be a mistake." There were no words of elaboration from the other as he slowly went away to mind his own business but not without looking over at her from over his shoulders one last time. This had left the girl in bewilderment and confusion. Magus? What the hell was a Magus? She couldn't be something or someone that she wasn't aware of, right? The man must be senile in one way or another…that or he mistook her for someone else.

"Well, whatever." She was there anyway so why not? Forgetting the state of the outside world for a moment, Yuri continued to look around the shop. From time to time, he would call the attention of the owner to ask about certain things like the skull mask that was displayed atop one of the shelves. From what she gathered, it belonged to an assassin of unparalleled skill, one that was feared even after he had passed away. There were even some old relic replicas like King Arthur's sword, Caliburn and Lancelot's Arondight present among them. The shop was filled with so many things that categorizing it as a bookshop would be a very big mistake.

But speaking of jewels, there was something among them that had won her attention—a necklace. "What's this?"

"That would be a heart." The old man explained.

"A heart? But isn't this a magatama bead?"

"It may look that way, little girl. But these three jewels are the representation of a princess' dying heart." It sounded like some kind of tragic fairy tale to the young lass, but she looked quite intent to knowing more about the little trinket. With a playful grin, the man continued. "Supposedly, these were droplets of blood collected by a young hero in order to find a woman that he had betrayed due to his ungrateful nature. In the end, these droplets of blood became his only link to the lady who, when he found, was dying."

"And what became of the princess?"

"She was cured due to the man's efforts, but in the end, the hero lost his love for the princess."

And then there was silence. It felt rather awkward to hear such a sad story behind something so beautiful. It was in moments like this that she believed that beauty was part of tragedy.

"Do you like it?" Unconsciously, Yuri nodded. "Then you may have it."

"Oh no, I can't possibly—" But despite her protests, the owner went behind the glass counter to retrieve the precious item. The magatama beads glistened in a soft glow under the influence of the shop's dim light. For Yuri, that blasphemous and gloomy place suddenly became a little brighter. Trinkets like these always made her happy. She didn't know why, but she was always happy to find things of such value. It was also the fact that the story behind it was something that she could sympathize with. It could have been a myth or some sort, but it was a rather touching one. The element of truth was probably what she was attracted to. After all, not every story resulted in happy endings. "Are you sure, mister? Can I really have it? I don't have the money and it didn't look like it was for sale…so…"

"If I gave it a price on it, no would be able to buy it." A small chuckle followed the man's words. He wasn't the type to care for money very much and if one would look, everything in this store was of high value. Relics, even though replicas, costs quite a fortune due to the production cost alone. Add in the fact that jewels have always been expensive, and you'll have quite the overpriced collection. But he could feel something about this girl, one that he hadn't felt for so long. Excitement, entertainment, pleasure, no matter what the name of this sensation was, he simply had to see it through. And so, without much as a warning or two, the proprietor leaned over and placed the necklace around Yuri's neck. Having secured the lock, he moved back to take in the appearance of the youth once more. "That should give you protection." He finally added.

"Don't attach that kind of nonsense to it, please." Yuri snapped, the sound of her voice irritated. It caught the man off guard for a second, but that only became more fuel for his amusement.

"Then perhaps this would sound better; It looks good on you." The small tinge of pink that lit her face was amusing, so much that he couldn't contain a chuckle from escaping. Interesting, he really found her interesting.

"W-what are you laughing about? How rude…" With that, she turned heel and walked towards the door. Having held the handle, she turned back, and with a free hand clasped the pendant. "I-It's mine! I won't give it back…"

And finally, she left.

"Childish. Is that really how children thank their elders these days?" Going over to the window, he hooked a finger down on one of the blinds' flaps and pulled down slightly. Her back slowly diminished into that ever growing darkness and from what it looks like, a very uneventful rain.

"Ho, it seems like you've found some sort of amusement."

"Yes." With a smirk on his face, the master of the store turned towards the man who had descended down the flight of stairs. It didn't take much time for the new intruder to get comfortable on one of the sofas. In fact he even sprawled on it while letting a leg dangle beyond the edge of the sofa's arm rest.

"Was it really alright to give away such a valuable item to that little girl?" The seemingly younger one questioned.

"It was. Everything has a soul, and that artifact was merely calling upon its master," he paused for a while and turned to the other before speaking. "It should be interesting."

"For your sake, I hope that THAT is the case."

Drip

Drip

Drip

A bead of sweat descended Yuri's forehead while she stood there, frozen in place. This was probably one of those times when nothing but fear and confusion occupied her minds. Whatever she was seeing right now was contesting whatever it was that's he believed in. She knew and acknowledged that nothing out of the ordinary could ever exist in the real world because things such as ghosts and spirits weren't real, but right now…

_W-what the hell is that thing…_The blood red eyes that stared at her intently made her body shake with fear. Its tall form was unmoving despite the fact that it seemed to ooze a blackness that could pass for muck and mud. The putrid smell was wafting over her way, something that made her feel sick. And perhaps the fact that it didn't smell like garbage, but instead, smelled like a rotting corpse was the thing that shook her the most. Was this the reason why children and adults alike where disappearing from the city one by one? Was this the reason why the number of casualties kept on growing, and was this the reason why there weren't any leads up till now? Was it all because the murders were done by a monster?

_No…_

She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it. She was doing her best to think calmly, but when the abomination's howl reached her ears…when she saw it begin to move and towards HER, the fear within her being finally exploded. With one more back step, she turned and dashed off. Tears had begun to well at the corner of her eyes as she felt her chest ache from the stress of the run. The question of what it was and why it was after her was much like a flash flood that drowned her mind in bewilderment and fear. Every time that Yuri looked back, the menacing creature seemed to be catching up. The mud monster seemed to be growing even bigger as if it was feeding off from her fear. As for the deafening howl, it was probably the most horrible and inhumane sound that anything or anyone could ever produce. Despite the labored breath, she continued to run in any direction that she could. Left, right, straight forward—anywhere just to escape…

"Hunngh! Hcckk—"

But to no avail, the sticky protrusions that it produced caught her. Black limbs coiled around her wrists, her torso and even on her legs in order to keep her from running away while constricting her all at the same time. It was getting harder to breathe, and her face grew red from anger and pale from the lack of oxygen. In the beast's grasp, she could feel her life draining away. Her struggle became weak and the fact that she ran made it even harder to take in air. As the oozy tentacle like appendages roamed about as if in search for something, Yuri became even more and more horrified. The pain made it apparent that this was not a dream, that this was very real and that she was going to be the next victim. The young girl would be added to those who became this city's casualty…she'll die like the rest. _I should have listened to Emiya-sensei…went home with him instead of running away…_

"H-he-hunngk—" Yuri's cry for help would probably go unnoticed, but she tried to call out for help. Anything will do. Anyone will do.

_I don't want to die_

And just as she was about to lose consciousness, the back of her right hand began to sting. The feeling that something had been burned onto her flesh made a silent scream escape her lips. As the sensation slowly faded away, a bright light began to shine from the ground. Again, the piercing scream of the beast could be heard, but this time, it wasn't crying for its prey. It was howling from being injured. Massive amounts of the tarry tendrils fell onto the concrete floor, finally releasing the young Yuri from her captured state. Blue and pale from the tight constrict of the creature, she coughed. Air, so precious, her lungs had to get more. Moving was such a toll, but she had to see what was happening. With blurred vision, Yuri could only see the silhouette of someone brandishing some kind of weapon; two long staff looking items, probably a spear due to what seemed like a pointed end. As she tried to keep herself in a conscious state, all she could make out of the demonic beast was the last of its dying shriek.

And then silence.

An eternity could have already passed as the silence continued. The sapphire tinted orbs were steadily observing the back of the man who had come to her rescue. The clothes he wore weren't the normal garb of everyday people. It looked like some kind of body hugging fabric that was accentuated by something that appeared to be armor. He was like one of those knights that came out from a fairy tale book, but she still wasn't prepared to believe in such a thing. Although with tonight's experience, a little re-evaluation was in check.

As the rain continued to pour, Yuri saw him swing his spear to the side in an effort to cast off the filth that had clung onto it. Under the influence of light the spear became a bit more visible due to the crimson shine it possessed. On the other hand, he had a golden spear and it was far shorter than the former. How could something like this exist? Even his movement from before was but a blur to her. Had it not been so painful, she'd have dismissed it as a dream. But it wasn't.

"Oi,"

Finally, the silence was broken. The stranger's voice was enough to pull the drenched youth from her thoughts. Pristine blue optics would watch as the other party began to turn. His footfalls were as silent as the night and only the water puddles he stepped upon made a sound. As he got closer and closer, the snow white hair that had clung onto his face due to being drenched became quite apparent. But perhaps it was those golden eyes of his that had captured her attention the most. Anyone who saw it would have marveled at its beauty, but not her. Those eyes were dead. No matter how she looked at it, the only thing it expressed was dullness and blankness. It was as if he was moving just because he had to, not because he wanted to; a puppet on invisible strings. He was a man with a beautiful face but was also someone who seemed to be as blank as a sheet. The mole underneath his eye complimented his face and acted as an enhancer as to how handsome he already was. But still, that look in his eyes as he approached was dreadfully frightening. Yuri couldn't speak. The words wouldn't come out no matter how hard she tried to pull out the words. She was frozen and unsure of what to do or what would become of her. When he caught a glimpse of her, It was then that she noticed the slight change of expression. A millisecond display of shock showed on his face but had reverted back to that cold composure just as fast. Golden orbs narrowed at her before his lips moved to speak, spite lacing his words like poison...

"Was it you who summoned me?"

Even the way he spoke was as if he was speaking from the very depths of death itself...


End file.
